Academic Standards

Getting Started…Making Choices

During the following activities, participants will reflect on their local communities as places that have shaped their lives. This bond between people, environment and community constitutes a “sense of place.” By exploring the media, participants define local issues. Articles abound on topics such as new housing developments, traffic, highway construction, land conservation and community character. The activities in this lesson focus on comparing local news articles from various communities throughout Pennsylvania and aligning them to basic land use principles.

Being a community leader requires an understanding of the vocabulary. It is important to learn the language of “planning”. Participants match vocabulary words and definitions to begin to translate the language. Participants share information about themselves and positive aspects of their community. Participants share objects and artifacts that represent the character of their community as they begin to discuss and define the importance of citizen responsibility.

Standard Categories

Environment and Ecology

Civics and Government

Geography

Service Learning

Standard Statements

4.8 Humans and the Environment5.1 Principles and Documents of Government5.3 How Government Works7.1 Basic Geographic Literacy7.3 Human Characteristics of Places and Regions

PA Land Choices has been developed to provide participants with a basic understanding of community government and the powerful role of citizens who work toward common goals. The engaging activities in the manual provide opportunities to work collectively in teams, gaining knowledge and skills that will be useful for a lifetime. Workshops involve professional planners and other experts to help participants create, sustain and protect the special character or their neighborhoods. It is a lesson on citizenship and the democratic process practiced at one of the most important levels...right in your home town.